Printing press



y 2, 1933- M. w. BRUESHABER ET AL -l ,906,364

PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 20, 1930 '2 Sheets-Shet 1 -:L'nvcm'hws WWW M W j nqgs.

m v m Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 HABTIN..W. BRUESHABER, OI RIVER B03131, AND HUBER! LANG, OI} GRANGE, I

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE GOSS PRINTING- PRESS CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ram'rme mass- Appllcation filed August 20, 1980. Serial K0. 476,562.

Our invention relates to printing presses and particularly to newspaper printing presses of the type having a plurality of press units each comprising two printing couples by which a web may be printed'com plete on both sides, and it is one of the objects of our invention to provide an improved form and arrangement of auxiliary printing couple independently of the printing couples of a press unit, said auxiliary printing couple comprising a form cylinder and an impression cylinder both of standard diameter corresponding to the cylinders of said unit and equipped for using curved printing plates of standard diameter corresponding to the plates'used on the press unit, said auxiliary printing couple being arranged for cooperation with a press unit for printing an additional color upon a selected single page portion of said web. It is one of the objects of our inventionto provide an improved arrangement of this type adapted preferably for printing such additional color upon either face of the web and upon any one of the several page portions of the web as may be desired by the use of a form cylinder and inking means of limited length as compared with that of the corresponding parts of the press. unit, means being provided for shifting said form cylinder and inking means to difierent positions transversely of the web for use on the desired page portion. It is another object of our invention to provide an arrangement of this type by which a plurality of colors are adapted to be applied to the same page portion of the web by the use of a plurality of auxiliary plate cylinders, such arrangement comprising two or more plate cylinders having effectivecooperation with a single impression cylinder,

the auxiliary plate cylinders and their inking mechanisms bei preferably of a limited length arrangement as suggested above designed to be shifted transversely of the web.

It is another one of the objects of our invention to provide, in connection with a plurality of press units each comprising two printing couples by which a web may be printed complete on both sides, an auxiliary printing couple independently of the printing couples of said press units, said auxiliary printing couple comprising a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder both of standarddiametercorre'sponding to the diameter of the plate and impression" cylinders of thepress units, and equipped for using curved printing plates of standard diameter corresponding to those used on the press units, arranged in spaced relation with respect to the several press units and adaptedfor printing an additiona-l color upon aiselected page portion of either of a plurality of the webs printed by said units, said auxiliary printing couple and. its associated parts being arranged preferably for operation in'either direction as desired for printing on either face of the selected web.' J

It is another object of our invention to providea new and improved form and arrangement of parts for use alternatively with curved plates of the ordinary standard'size and form having either blank space portions arranged at the ordinary substantial depth,

from the printing face portions, or' with curved plates in which the printing face portions are offset very slightly from the blank space portions of the face of the plate. As

is well understood in the art,'f0r satisfactory printing with plates in which the blank space portions of the face of the late are arranged at'a very small depth rom the printing face portions of the plate, a comparatively very heavy pressure or impression .must be maintained between the plate cylin- .mounted in operative relation at a distance from the regular units of the press in such position and in such surroundings as to make it easily accessible whereby the means employed for controlling the heavy pressure when the plates of shallow depth are used may be readily and quickly adjusted for permitting the application of the ordinary pressure in a normal-manner when the ordinary stereotype plates are used. To this end, it is one of the objects of our invention to provide an arrangement comprising an auxiliary printing couple mounted in accessible position with the impression cylinder provided with a semi-hard blanket arrangement suitable for use with both the heavy pressure of the shallow plates and the lighter pressure of stereotype plates, with bearer rings mounted on the plate and impression cylinders so as to be adjustable into cooperative relation for use with the shallow plates and to be adjustable out of cooperative relation when ordinary stereotype plates are used.

It is another object of our invention to improve devices of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which we-have accomplished our several objects are illustrated in the drawings and are hereinafter specifically described. That which we believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, 7

Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a press comprisinga plurality of units and having our improved auxiliary printing mechanism arranged above such units.

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the press as shown in Fig. 1 and as seen at the line 2-2 of said Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view of a fragmentary portion of the parts as shown in Fig. 2, and showing a changed position of certain of the parts.

Referring-now. to the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, 10 and '11 indicate sections of a printing press each comprising form cylinders 12 and impression cylinders 13 mounted in sectional frames 14, with such sectional frames connected by a framework 15. It will be understood that each of the press units 10 and 11 comprises inking mechanism and other cooperating partsfor operation in the ordinary manner.

Rising from the framework 15, are stand-' ards 16, 17, 18and 19'at opposite sides of the machine, the standards 16 and 17 at each side of the press being connected by'horizontally extending frame bars 20, and the standards 17 and 19 being connected by horizontally disposed frame bars 21. The frames at opposite sides of the press are connected by means of heavy frame bars 22, 23 and 24 extending transversely across the press.

Between the standards 17, we have provided an impression cylinder 25 mounted upon a heavy shaft 26, such impression cylinder 25 being of the same length as the impression cylinders 13 of the main sections of the press. In spaced relation about the impression cylinder 25 circumferentially thereof, we have provided three plate cylinders 27, 28 and 29 mounted upon heavy shafts 30, 31 and 32, respectively, such shafts 30, 31 and 32 being mounted in eccentric bearing means for giv- -ing the plate cylinders the required impression movements toward and from the cylinder 25 as is well understood in the art. Each of the cylinders 27,28 and 29 is of substantially shorter length than the impression cylinder 25, such form cylinders 27, 28 and 29 being mounted in our improved construction so as tobe shiftable transversely of the press lon itudinally of the cylinder 25 for bringing form cylinders into operation upon any desired page portion of the web perfected by the main sections of the press. In the construction shown, the webs perfected by the sections 10 and 11 are four pages wide, the cylinders 27, 28 and 29 being given accordingly an effective length corresponding to a quarter of the effective length of the plate cylinder 12. Inasmuch as the construction in connection with each of the cylinders 27, 28 and 29 is substantially the same with respect to the arrangement of cooperating parts, it is believed that a description of the plate cylinder 28 and its cooperating parts as illustrated in Fig. 2 will be suflicient for indicating the construction and operation in connection with the cylinders 27 and 29.

Referring now to Fig. 2 for a description of form cylinder 28 and its connected parts, it will be seen that frame members 33 and 34 are provided at opposite ends of the cylinder 28, such frame members 33 and 34 being connected by a heavy cross bar 35' (see Fig. 1). The crossbar 35, asshown in said Fig. 1, has a dovetailed sliding connection with the crossbar 23 of the main framework, the arrangement being such that the auxiliary frame comprising the parts 33, 34 and 35 may be moved longitudinally of the impression cylinder 25 to any desired position therealong. Such auxiliary framework comprising the parts 33, 34 and 35 supports an ink drum 36, transfer rollers 37, cutting rollers 38, a vibrating inking roller 39, and an ink fountain 40, all of any approvedtype. The ink drum 36 and its coo crating parts as above set forth are of an e eetive length correspondin to that of the form cylinder 28, being shifta le with'the form cylinder 28 longitudinally of the impression cylinder 25. In the construction shown, the shafts 26 and-31 are connected together by means of intermeshing gears 41 and-42, whereby the cylinders 25 and 28 are driven in cooperative relationship from any suitable source of power, the form cylinder 28 being connected with the shaft 31 by means of a suitable shown in Fig. 2, the means for operating the inking roller 39 and other parts of the inking mechanism being omitted from the drawings, inasmuch as such parts in and of themselves form no part of our present invention.

In the construction shown, the cylinders 27,28 and 29 are provided with planographic I pression cylinder 25. On account of the use of this heavy pressure upon the blanket cylinder 25, we haveprovided bearer rings 48 and 49 upon the shafts 31 and 26, respectively,

adapted to limit the pressure to .be applied between the cylinders. The blanket upon the impression cylinder 25 in the construction illustrated comprises preferably a layer 50 of rubber approximately of an inch thick,

with an outside covering 51 in the form of a manila draw sheet. Other bearer rings correspondingto the rings 48 are provided upon the shaftst30 and 32 adapted also to engage the bearer rings 49 in position as shown in Fi 2. With the press sections 10 and 11 printing in black upon both faces of webs 52 and 53, respectively, and with two of the sections (not shown) toward the left in Fig. lprint ing in black upon both faces of webs 54 and 55 respectively, all of such webs may be run through the press independently of the auxiliary printing mechanism if desired. The

. arrangement is such, however, that any one of the webs 52, 53, 54 and 55 may be run through the auxiliary printing mechanism for printing three additional colors upon any one selected page portion of the selected web. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the webs 53, 54 and 55 are shown as running inthe ordinary manner toward the delivery end of the press, while web 52 is passed upwardly about a roller 56, thence about the impression cylinder 25, thence downwardly about a roller 57 and from there toward the delivery end fof the machine. As a result of this arrangement, .the web 52 is provided with printing in three different colors upon its top face in addition to the black printin thereon by the regular press section 10. If it had been desired to print upon the o posite face of the web 52, the web would lave been run through the auxiliary printing mechanism in the reverse direction and the power would have been applied to the gears 41 and 42 for driving them in the reverse, direction.

While the auxiliary printing mechanism is adapted for use as above described whereby three different colors are printed upon a single page portion of the web 52, it will be understood that our improved apparatus is not limited to such operation. The aux liary printing mechanism comprising the cylinder 28 might be positioned vas shown in Fig. 2 for printing upon a selected page portion of the selected web. The cylinder 27 and its associated parts might then be adjusted for printing on the same page portion or upon any other desired page portion'transversely of the web. The printing cylinder 29 and its associated parts might then be adjusted for printing upon either the portion printed by the cylinder 28 or the portion-printed by the cylinder'27 or upon still a third page portion transversely of the web.

If it shduld be desired to employ ordinary stereotype plates upon the auxiliary form cylinders 27 28 and 29, the bearer rings 49 carried by the impression cylinder 25 would be shifted inwardly toward the cylinder out of engagement with the bearer rings 48, as illustratedv in Fig. 3, and out of engagement with the corresponding bearer rin 's carried by the'shafts 30 and 32. With thls change,

and with the impression-set in the ordinary manner for stereotype printing, effective operation would be attained without any change in the make-ready upon the-cylinder 25, the

semi-hard blanket arrangement as above described being adapted for satisfactory work with either planographic plates or with stereotype plates.

By the use of our improved arrangement, we are enabled to print in a plurality of colors upon one or more pagesof an ordinary newspaper. By reason of the short length of the auxiliary form cylinder and its cooperating inking-mechanism, a greatly simplified construction is attained which can be produced much more cheaply and which will operate much more satisfactorily than the arran ements heretofore inuse. By reason of the 1ncreased accessibility to the ink fountains 40 of the several auxiliary printing mechanisms and by reason of the small size of such ink fountains, the work of cleaning upv for a change of color of ink to be used can be effected with comparatively great ease and quickness as compared with prior constructions. I

While we prefer to employ the construction substantially as shown and as above deg scribed, it is to be understood that we do not limit our invention to the form shown except so far as the claims may be limited by the prior art, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement without departing from the spirit of our invention.

.Ve claim i 1. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, aidauxiliary printing couple mounted in spaced relation to said press unit and operating independently thereof comprising an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder, and bearer rings carried by the impression cylinder and plate cylinder of said auxiliary couple for limiting the presinto; and out of operative. engagement with each other, said auxiliary printing couple being adapted for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of said web.

2; In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web com plete on both faces, an auxiliary printing couple comprising an impression cylinder and a. plate cylinder and inking mechanism therefor mounted in operative relationship to said impression cylinder and both'of limited length as compared with said impression cylinder adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the impression cylinder for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of said web, and bearer rings carried by the impression cylinder and the plate cylinder of said auxiliary couple for limiting the pressure between said cylinders and adjustable into and out of operative engagement with each other.

3. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, an auxiliary printing couple comprising an impression aplate cylinder of the same diameter as that of the plate cylinders of said unit, inking mechanism for said plate cylinder. said plate cylinder and inking mechanism of said auxiliary printing means being of limited length as compared with said impression cylinder and being adapted to be shifted longitudinallv of the impression cylinder for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of said web, and bearer rings carried by the impression cvlinder and the plate cylinder of said auxiliary printing couple for limiting the pressure between said cylinders and adjustable into and out of operative engagement with each other.

4. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising twoprinting couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, auxiliary printing means mounted in spaced relation to said press unit and operating independently thereof, com prising an impression cylinder and a plurality of plate cylinders in operative relationship to said impression cylinder in spaced relation thereabout for applying additional colors to selected page portions of said web, inking mechanisms for said plate cylinders, the plate cylinders and the inking mechanisms of said auxiliary printing m ans being of limited length as compared with said impression cylinder and being adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the impression cylinder for applying additional colors to selected page portions of said web, and bearer rings carried by the impression cylinder and the plate cylinders of said auxiliary printing means for limiting the pressure between said cylinder and cylinders and adjustable into and out of oppression cylinderand a plate cylinder and inking mechanism therefor mounted in op-- erative relationship to said impression cylinder and both of limited length as compared with said impression cylinder and both ad apted to be shifted longitudinally of the impression cylinder for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of said web, bearer rings carried by said impression cylinder and said plate cylinder of said auxiliary printlng couple for limiting the pressure between the cylinders of said auxiliary couples and ad ustable into and out of operative engagement with eachother, and means for leadlng the web from any one of a plurality of sa d press units to said auxiliary printing couple.

6. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of press units eachcomprisin g two printing couples adapted to cooperate, for printing a web complete on both faces, an auxiliary printing couple comprising an impression cylinder and a plate cylinder of thesame diameter as that of the plate cylinders of said press units arranged in impression relationship to said impression cylinder, inkmg mechanism for said plate cylinder, said plate cylinder andinking mechanism of said auxiliary printing means being of limited length as compared with said impression cylinder and being adapted to be shifted longitudinally of the impression cylinder for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of said web, bearer rings carried by said impression cylinder and said plate cylinder of said auxiliary couple for limiting the pressure between said cylinders and adjustable into and out of operative engage.- ment withe'ach other, and means for leading the web from any one of a plurality of said press units to saidauxiliary printing couple.

7. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, an auxiliary printing couple comprising an impression cylinder provided with a semi-hard blanket arrangement, a plate cylinder of the same diameter as that of the plate cylinders of said press unit arranged in operative relationship to said impression cylinder, and bearer rings carried by said impression cylinder and said plate cylinder of saidauxiliary printing couple for limiting the pressure between said cylinders when using a printing plate of comparatively shallow depth and adjustable into and out of operative engagement with each other. a

8. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of press units each comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web on both faces, auxiliary printing means mounted in spaced relation to said press units and operating independently thereof comprising an impression cylinderv shallow depth and adjustable into and out of operative engagement with each other, and means for leading" the web from any one of a plurality of said units to said am:- iliary printing means. 4

9. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printingcouples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, an auxiliary printing couple comprising an impression cylinder provided with a semi-hard blanket arrangement and a plate cylinder of the same diameter as that of the plate cylinders of said press units arranged in operative relationship to said impression c linder, inking mechanism for said plate cyllnder, said plate cylinder and inking mechanism of said auxiliary printing meansbeing of limited length as compared with that of said impression cylindqof said auxiliary printing means and adapted to be shifted longitudinally of said impression cylinder for applying an additional color. to a selected page portion of said web, and bearer rings carried bysaid impression cylinder and said plate cylinder of said auxiliary printing means for llmiting the pressure between said cylinders when using a printing plate of comparatively shal low depth and adjustable into and out of operative engagement with each other.

10. In a printing press, the combination of a press unit comprising two printing couples adapted to cooperate for printing a web complete on both faces, and auxiliary printing means for applying additional colors toselected page portions of said web and comprising an impression cylinder in parallel arrangement with the cylinders of said press unit, a vplurality of heavy shafts in spaced parallel relati n to said impression cylinder, plate cylinders shorter length than that of said impression cylinder slidably mounted on said shaftsand adapted to be brought into press adjacent to said impression cylinder in a spaced relation thereaboutfand inking mechanisms of a length corresponding substantially to that of the plate cylinders slidably mounted on said bars and slidable longitudinally of said impression cylinder with said auxiliary plate cylinder.

11. In a printing press, the combination of a horizontally extending base frame, a series of press units arrangedun a row on sai lbase frame in horizontally spaced relation and each having two printing couples mounted in its own individual unit frame-work, an auxiliary rinting mechanism arranged in the line of. said row of press units in well spaced relationship to each of said press units so as to operate independently, and comprising an impression cylinder three form cylinders arranged about said impression cylinder in circumferentially spaced relationship and inking mechanisms fort-he several form cylinders each arranged above and to one side of oneof said form cylinders, and means for leading the web alternatlvely from any one of a plurality of said-press units to said auxiliary printing mechanism for the application of a plurality of additional colors to said selected web. v

12. In a printing press, the combination of; a horizontally extending baseframe, a series of press units arranged in a row on said base frame in horizontally spaced relation and each having two printing couples mounted in its own individual unit frame-work, an auxiliary printing mechanism arranged in the line of said row ofpress units in well spaced relationship to each of said press units so as to operate independently, and comprising an impression cylinder, three form cylinders arranged about said impression cylinder in circumferentially spaced relationship, frame members supported at their lower ends from said form cylinders and extending obliquely.

upwardly and to one side therefrom, and

inking mechanisms for the several form cylinders operatively mounted 'on said'frame members, and means for leading the web al in its own individual unit frame-work, an auxiliary printing couple arranged in the line each having two printing couples mounted of said row of press units in well spaced rela-' tionship to each of said units so as to operate independently thereof, and 'comprismg an impression cylinder'and a form cylinder arranged to support printing plates in opera tire. relationship to said impression cylinder,

and inking mechanism for said auxiliary printing couple, said form cylinder being of limited length as compared with the length of said impression cylinder and being arranged to be shifted longitudinally of the imprcssion cylinder for applying an additional color to a selected page portion of the web from any one of said press units.

-14..ln a printing press, the combination of a horizontally extending base frame, a series of press units arranged in a row on said base frame in horizontally spaced relation and each having two printing couples mounted in its own individual unit frame-work. an auxiliary printing mechanism arranged in the line of said row of press units in well spaced relationship to each of said press units so as to operate independently, and comprising an impression cylinder. three form cylinders of the same effective diameter as that of the form cylinders of said press units arranged about said impression cylinder in eircumferentially spaced relation and of limited length as compared with the length of said impression cylinder and arranged to be shifted longitudinally of the impression cylinder, and inking mechanisms in operative relationship to said form cylinders and movable longitudinally therewith, and means for leading the web alternatively from any one of a plurality of said press units to said auxiliary printing mechanism for the application of a plurality of additional colors to said selected web.,

15. In a web printing press, the combina-' tion of a horizontally extending frame,a series of press units similarly arranged in a row along said frame in spaced relation to each other, and an auxiliary printing mechanism mounted above said row of units and comprlslng an impression cylinder extending transversely of said frame, a plurality of form cylinders of shorter length than said impression cylinder in spaced relation circumferentially about said impression cylinder and each slidable independently of the others along said impression cylinder, and ink ng mechanisms for the several form cylinders each slidable with one of said cyllnders for printing an additional color upon any selected page portion of a selected one of th e webs printed by said several press units.

16. In a web printing press, the combination of a horizontally extending frame, a

series of press units similarly arranged in a row along said frame inspaced relation to each other, and an auxiliary printing mechanism mounted above said row of units and comprising an impression cylinder extending transversely of said frame, a plurality of heavy shafts journaled in position parallel with said impression-cylinder in spaced relation circumferentially' thereabout, a form cylinder of shorter length than said impression cylinder slidably mounted on each of said shafts, frame members slidably mounted on each of said shafts at opposite ends of each of said form cylinders, and an inking mechanism mounted between the frame members on each of said shafts and slidable with the form cylinder for printing an additional color upon any selected page portion of a selected one of the webs printed by said several press units.

17. In a web printing press, the combination of a horizontally extending frame, a series of press units similarly arranged in a row along said frame in spaced relation to each other. and an auxiliaryprinting couple mounted above said row of units and comprising an impressioncylinder extending transversely of said frame, a heavy shaft journaled in position parallel with said impression cylinder, a form cylinder of shorter length than said impression cylinder slidably mounted on said shaft, bearer rings mounted on the axis of said impression cylinder at opposite sides of the press, and other bearer rings mounted on said shaft and adapted by engagement with said first named bearer rings to limit the pressure between said impression cylinder and said form cylinder. certain of said bearer rings being adjustable transversely of the press out of engagement with the other bearer rings.

18. In a web printing press, the combination of ,a horizontally extending frame, a series of press units similarly arranged in a row alongsaid frame in spaced relation to each other, and an auxiliary printing mechanism mounted above said row of units and comprising an impression cylinder extending transversely of said frame, a plurality of heavy shafts journaled in position parallel with said impression cylinder in spaced relation circumferentially thereabout. a form cylinder of shorter length than said im ression cylinder slidably mounted on eac of said shafts, bearer rings mounted on the axis of said impression cylinder at opposite sides of the press, and other bearer rings mounted on each of said shafts adapted by engagement with said first named bearer rings to limit the pressure between the impression cylinder and the several form cylinders, certain of said bearer rings being adjustable out of engagement with the cooperating b'earer 

